Goodrich declared
that it would ruin the social influence of the church forever. Amy was
heart and soul with the movement, but prudently refrained from
discussing the matter in the presence of her parents; while Frank,
though he attended all the meetings of the society and would not openly
oppose their efforts for fear of being unpopular, lost no opportunity
to secretly throw a stumbling block in their way, and made all manner
of sneering allusions to the work when he thought it would not come
to the ears of the young people.
When at last the room was finished and ready to be occupied, the
committee appointed met to select a manager. The church, with the usual
good judgment shown by churches in such matters, had named Elder Wicks
and Deacon Wickham, and the young people had selected Charlie Bowen
and two young ladies, to represent the Society. They met in the new
rooms one evening and Deacon Wickham took the floor at once.
"I hope our young friends won't take offense at what I am about to
say, but you know I am one of the kind who always say just what I
think, for I believe that if a man has anything on his mind, it had
better come out. This business ought to be in the hands of the church
board; you young folks have no Scriptural rights to speak on the subject
at all." The three young Christians looked at Uncle Bobbie, whose left
eye remained closed for just the fraction of a second, and the speaker
wondered at the confident smile with which his words were received.
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